Issue - meetings

The Committee received a verbal presentation from the Greenways Project Manager, Simon Manville, regarding the Cambridge Greenways Project.

The presentation outlined the 12 proposed routes. The project was designed to connect the villages surrounding Cambridge through a cohesive network for pedestrians, cyclists and equine riders. The project was currently going through its pre consultation stage; this involved holding meetings in various locations to gain public input and feedback. Once completed, the designs would be drawn up and a public consultation on the preferred options would be undertaken.

The Greenways Project Manager highlighted that the whole aim of the scheme was to reduce vehicle congestion so the key focus was on cycle provision.

 The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

       i.          Noted the importance of circular routes and queried if these types of routes could be incorporated as part of the project. 

     ii.          Queried why the routes/paths would not be completely segregated from roads?

   iii.          Stated that it may be difficult for cyclists and pedestrians to both use the routes together. Asked whether the routes would be lit up?

   iv.          Expressed disappointment that in funding terms the promotion of leisure, such as walking and cycling were low down on the list of priorities. 

    v.          Stated there should be an adjustment to the objectives to the suggested links.

The Greenways Project Manager said the following in response to Members’ questions:

       i.          There was an opportunity to make the routes as pleasant and as easy to use for leisure users and would be sensitive to the local concerns.

     ii.          Routes in and out of the city had only been looked at in the first instance. There was a possibility that orbital routes would be looked at a later date.

   iii.          The route would encompass small roads, making entirely separate routes/ paths would be incredibly costly.

   iv.          Confirmed that the paths would be wide and could potentially include white separation lines to stop collisions between cyclists and pedestrians. Lighting would be costly to have along all the routes so it would be strategically placed in areas where it was most beneficial.

    v.          Currently there was no budget to deliver this project as this was only at pre consultation stage with £480,000 for development funds.

   vi.          Estimated cost to deliver the scheme was between £10,000,000 million to £20,000,000. Funding would be secured from the Greater Cambridge Partnership, in 2020.

Councillor Scutt stressed the important of signage to assist with a unified network of links.

The Greenways Project Manager stated that Cambridge Regional College had been approached asking students to design a logo for the project which would be placed on all the signage.